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Training
Episode 6, Seaosn 3 of War. Enjoy! Training Shadowsong looked at her recruits, unimpressed. Grayleaf was preparing the traveling herbs. When she'd tried to tell him they didn't need them, he'd insisted. His face was screwed up in concentration and she envied how seriously he took himself, despite the fact he was easily the weak link in the squad. Briarclaw was talking to him about the experimental properties of some herb her brother was testing to try and vaccinate green-cough. Her pelt was groomed without a hair out of place and she seemed a little nervous, eyes darting about. Stormflight was easily the least concerned. His eyes were half shut and he leaned against the side of a den. Shadowsong studied him more closely. His breaths were even and deep and when she waved her tail and he didn't respond, she let out a small growl. "Give me those," Grayleaf pawed over Stormflight's herbs and Shadowsong carefully opened the tom's mouth, shoving in the herbs. Stormflight went to take another breath and choked, his eyes starting open. He gagged down the herbs and glared at Shadowsong balefully. She winked back. "You are all under my command from now until we return from badger-hunting. So follow orders. I'm not Gorsefur. If you annoy me, I will punish you. We leave no cats behind, or try to anyways, but if you get in my way, there might be a little 'accident'. So are you ready?" They all nodded and Shadowsong sighed. She glared back at the den for a moment where Gorsefur and Oakclaw were snickering. When he saw her looking, Gorsefur immediately put on his 'I'm a tough commander' face and gave her a nod. Oakclaw waved his tail cheerfully. I will gut them. She led her recruits out of camp. Briarclaw had stopped talking and there was uncomfortable silence. Shadowsong didn't mind, it gave her time to think. Grayleaf wasn't going to be a lot of help fighting. The fact he was the son of two of her close friends made her cautious, and add in the fact he was a medicine cat without much battle training and she was beginning to think he would have been better off staying at the den. Briarclaw could fight, and she would be useful tracking the creatures. She was quick and smart, and, if her plan to rescue Oakclaw held any meaning, unusually creative in her scheming. She didn't have a lot of brute force, but she could fight. Stormflight had the same build as Oakclaw- muscled with broad shoulders. He was younger, with less experience, but the gray tom had an edge to him. An intensity that Shadowsong was both wary of and eager to utilize. He would be the fighter, probably the one to kill the badger. And then, of course, there was her. But she didn't want to think about herself. Or really anyone else. Especially not toms whose names rhymed with 'Smokepaw'. "Shadowsong?" She was snapped out of her thoughts to see Briarclaw looking at her. They were out of Main now, on her chosen path. "It would be more direct if we went another way," Briarclaw said. "This way leads to the part of the Silver Forest which is most densely populated by badgers," Shadowsong explained. "In mating season. Are we sure we want to get in the way of that?" "Scared it'll get...messy?" Stormflight teased. Shadowsong rolled her eyes. He sounded like Oakclaw. "Disgusting as that is, badgers are usually more aggressive when mating or around young. Their paternal and maternal instincts are up, as well as-" "I think we'll be fine," Shadowsong meowed drily. "Besides, you have me if you get in trouble." There was a short silence and Shadowsong's claws unsheathed, latching her to the ground. She forced herself to ignore the recruits as she led the way back to the path. They're just 'cruits. Idiots. She let her thoughts drift, but they always took her to the same place. Warm amber eyes with a mischievous glint and fur that shone like the sun. And every time she would shove that thought away, only to remember those same eyes turning hurt as he lay in his nest in the medicine den and asked her Why? So she let the first thought back in. That wasn't any easier to deal with, but it was nicer to look at. At least she could silently berate herself for falling...for having feelings in the presence of something pretty. Handsome. "Shadowsong?" She turned once more to see Grayleaf, looking intrepid and unsure. "There's some juniper on the side of the path, can I get it? It'll raise our strength." She sighed, not knowing what to do. It was always best to just leave medicine cats to do what they would, she thought. Especially since she barely knew what to do with cobwebs. "We don't have time. Sorry." And then they were on their way again. The Silver Forest came into view and Shadowsong breathed a sigh of relief. She really didn't want to be here kitsitting. "Shadowsong?" She practically snapped as she turned to see Stormflight motioning with his tail. Following his gaze, she saw a badger lumbering on the hill below them. "Are there any others?" The recruits looked around and shook no. "Excellent." Shadowsong took a breath. "Let's go." "Of course you know our names," I mutter. "Our courier just left with information," the dapper white tom meows. "If that's what you're after." "I'm here because I want revenge," Adderscar admits. "Brookfall is after intelligence." The tom turns to me. "What kind of intelligence?" "Your name would be a good start," I meow. He purrs. "You're fiery, I like that. I've been called many things over the moons. Ghost, Silverspirit...but you may call me Whitepelt." "Okay...Whitepelt. I want to know what Firestar is planning." "What plan?" Whitepelt asks, giving me an appraising look. "The treaties are going on, if that's what you mean." "Please," Adderscar snorts. Whitepelt purrs, "Clever. You're right, something is amiss. I attempted to warn Waterstar, but something has been happening to my couriers. I have no doubt FireClan is closing in on our location." "Doesn't that worry you?" I ask, feeling alarmed myself. "FireClan knows where lots of things are. It doesn't mean they come running." I let that go. "So what is the plan?" "Alas, I do not know." Whitepelt sighs. "Perhaps we can pool our knowledge and attempt to reach a valid conclusion?" He tells us to sit and sends a few cats out to get prey. "So, what have you two learned?" "Firestar sent his niece and nephew to EarthClan. They're set to return next week, or in a few days, depending on who you ask. We also know that FireClan is utilizing...a WaterClan warrior to make a plan." "Badgerstrike," Whitepelt meows, almost sadly. "Shame, he was a good one. We knew most of that, except the location of where the relatives were going." I nod. "We need to know what he's planning. He's coming home to conference, right?" Whitepelt nods, eyeing me thoughtfully. "And he thinks his niece and nephew are home, thanks to us. So..." "They were spies," Adderscar realizes. "They were in EarthClan to learn something." 'But why EarthClan?" I wonder. "I mean, I know we share a border with them, but-" Adderscar shakes his head. "EarthClan is furious with both of us. FireClan and WaterClan, I mean. They're not pacifists like AirClan, so it annoys them to no end when refugees come and whatnot. They're a whiskerlength from joining the war." "So were the relatives there to incite it? Stir up bad feelings?" Adderscar shakes his head. "Firestar wants them to join him. EarthClan is independent and then don't much like him, but..." I stare at the ground, trying to think. There's sense in it, somewhere. Whitepelt suddenly stiffens. "Quiet." We listen. There's a scraping sound, then a shriek, "Be care-" It's cut off with a gurgle. "Lilystem!" Whitepelt gasps. "Everyone hide!" Adderscar and I duck into the shadows. I hear him scrabbling, looking for a place to crouch. The cave walls are smooth and I feel panic rising in me. The FireClan cats are inside now, crawling through the tunnel. "They can only get in one at a time," Adderscar meows. "We can take them one on one." I nod, adrenaline surging through me. We begin to creep towards the opening, the sounds of FireClan cats growing closer. The badger snuffled about as they drew closer. Shadowsong was hardly nervous, but the recruits were. Even Stormflight's breath was bated. The badger began to realize they were there. It looked up, beady eyes narrowed against the fading sun. "Go," Shadowsong murmured. Stormflight leapt first. He scored his claws across the badgers face. Briarclaw darted under its paws and Grayleaf went for the stomach. Shadowsong let herself remember her first training mission. A family of foxes. She and Oakclaw had hated each other then, and she had always had to sidestep Gorsefur's affections. She'd taken down a fox, saving Oakclaw's life as well. It was the first spark. She let out an involuntary sigh, then smacked herself. "Shadowsong!" the ragged yowl came from Stormflight. "Behind you!" She turned to see another badger. The mate to the smaller one the recruits fought. "Stay back!" she hollered to the recruits. Stormflight reluctantly turned back to the battle, the other two following. The bigger badger lumbered towards her. It had scars crisscrossing its flank and she wondered if the warrior who put them there was enjoying StarClan. She ducked as the badger swiped at her, using the opportunity to draw a gash in its stomach. The badger roared with pain and swiped at her again. This one almost landed and she felt her adrenaline beginning to stir. She turned back to look at the recruits. They were doing alright, the badger was moving slower, clumsy. Her badger was rearing back again, ready to strike. She prepared to dodge again, only for Grayleaf to come skidding over. He groaned and tried to right himself. The badger brought its paw down and she realized if she moved, it would hit Grayleaf. She turned, covering the small tom with her body. The badger tore into her shoulder and everything went black. I slide along the wall after Adderscar. He turns around to asks me something and our noses bump. Muttering, he draws back. "The first one is coming through." I nod and Adderscar continues forward. The first FireClan cat goes down without a sound and Adderscar leaps to the other side of the hole. The next cat to come through, I grab and basically claw until they stop moving. "They're at the entrance!" one of the FireClan cats calls. The FireClan cats start piling in and Whitepelt yowls to us, "You two need to escape. Go, you have to tell them about Firestar's plan. You have to-" The FireClan cats break through and stream into the cave, yowling. The spies are overtaken within moments and Adderscar pushes me to the entrance, "There's nothing we can do." I look over my shoulder to see Whitepelt be pulled down by a FireClan she-cat. He winks at me, blood staining his throat. When Shadowsong woke up, three anxious faces peered down at her. Well, one anxious face. Briarclaw and Stormflight looked more impatient than anxious. "You're awake," Grayleaf breathed. "I told you that you didn't get her killed." Briarclaw meowed, not entirely unkindly. "Is everyone okay?" Shadowsong meowed weakly. Grayleaf nodded. "Except for you. As a medicine cat, I'm telling you we need to stay here the night, then we can go home." Shadowsong groaned. "Do we have to?" "It's your own fault!" Grayleaf retorted, sounding stressed. "If you weren't so freaking fatalistic-" "I'm not fatalistic!" she growled, looking to the others. Stormflight and Briarclaw immediately found the ground very interesting. "Did you try to push me out of the way or even think about saving yourself?" Grayleaf looked close to frustrated tears. "No! You just covered me instead of trying to make sure you'd be okay." Shadowsong shook her head. "And it's not just you!" Grayleaf continued. "Oakclaw, Gorsefur, even Brookfall! You'd all rather play the hero than be realistic! It's not always a bad thing, but you can't just leave us alone because you don't care what you sacrifice!" "That's not true," Shadowsong whispered, finding that her voice was failing her. She glared at Briarclaw and Stormflight. "Well...what about Oakclaw?" Briarclaw asked awkwardly. "I mean, you two obviously like each other but you aren't together anymore. I'm guessing you think it'll benefit the squad or you'll be able to focus on the war more, but that's ridi- not true. Cats have relationships without all your drama." Shadowsong looked at Stormflight, starting to feel double-teamed. The gray tom shrugged. "I mean, I guess I see their point. You guys are heroes, don't get me wrong. But you always pay a huge price." Briarclaw, "And you don't realize it. This whole trip you were patronizing us- not listening to me about directions, Grayleaf with the berries...but you're no better." Shadowsong put her chin on her paws. "Fine, fine. You're all right. Can I sleep now?" Grayleaf nodded, still looking drained, but Shadowsong swore she saw a hint of a smile on his mouth. We stand on the border, the wind heavy at our backs. The guards here are sparse and more interested in cats coming in, not cats leaving. Especially cats who look FireClan. So Adderscar's cunning plan, worthy of a genius, is to run like the Dark Forest is chasing us. We saunter over to the border, then dash. A guard yells for us to stop, but we keep going with no pursuers. WaterClan territory's familiar scent almost makes me swoon with relief. We make it into the Silver Forest and stop, panting. "Where...to...now?" Adderscar asks. "Main?" Adderscar shrugs, then straightens. "FireClan..." he gasps. The scent is stale, but it's one I recognize. My eyes widen and I realize there's another scent under it. WaterClan. The WaterClan scents are easy to sniff out- Shadowsong and the recruits were here, maybe last night. And layered over it is the scent of Thundercloud. Shadowsong was surprised to see the others on the trail leading out of the Silver Forest to Main. Gorsefur and Oakclaw rushed to meet her. "How'd it go?" "Fine. What are you-" "You're hurt." Oakclaw's eyes met hers with worry. Shadowsong looked back to see Briarclaw giving her a small nod. "Yeah, I was kind of stupid." she gritted her teeth. "But I'll live." "What are you doing here?" Grayleaf finished her earlier question. "We're supposed to go see if we can figure out what's happening to our spies." Gorsefur explained. "Since Firestar went back to conference, there's no need to Oakclaw to hang out at Main so Waterstar sent us off." "The couriers are supposed to be bringing news, but they keep disappearing. The weird thing is, they make it over the border and get killed on our territory." Oakclaw continued. He smirked at Shadowsong. "And since I was the one there for this mission, I get to be second." "Gorsefur!" Shadowsong cried with mock seriousness. "You have to take turns," he meowed, feigning sternness. They all purred and the recruits hung back awkwardly. Shadowsong stepped aside. "These three did really well. Better than I expected." "Tell me about it," Gorsefur nodded at the recruits, looking proud. They started to walk into the Forest, Shadowsong talking about the recruit's bravery, the others filling in about how Shadowsong saved Grayleaf. I could almost get used to the 'cruits, she mused, after a while, hanging back for a moment. Briarclaw was telling Grayleaf about her brother again and the young medicine cat tripped over a root. Stormflight was having some kind of tom competition with Oakclaw where they talked about how many foxes they'd killed. Almost. She smirked and hurried to catch up. Category:Artimas Hunter's Fanfics